Sleeve ironing press



Feb. 16, 1943.

F. v A. WIEGMAN ET AL SLEEVE IRONING PRESS Fi led July 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 'INVENTORS FLOYD A. WIEGMAN BY GEORGE R Elfin:- @M X ATTORNEYS Feb. 16, 1943. F. A. WIEGMAN EIAL SLEEVE IRONING PRESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 24, 1959 v m-6E YOUNG N A w & RI. ow M MAE; Y0 w m n. D mm A LG. 7 F. Y. B

Feb..16, F A WIEGMAN r AL SLEEVE IRONING PRESS I Filed July 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 8

INVENTORS FLOYD A. WIEGMAN BY GEORGE R YOUNG 66 ATTORNEYS F 9 F. A. WIEGMAN'ETAL. 1,2

SLEEVE momma PRESS Filed July 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 m 8 m .H d MWRP R MAE .0 w M mm LG F.Y B

Patented Feb. 16, 1943 SLEEVE IRONING PRESS Floyd A. Wiegman and George R. Young, Chicago, 111., assignors to The Prosperity Company, Inc., Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 24, 1939, Serial No. 286,046

5 Claims.

This invention relates to laundry-ironing practice, and more particularly to a new and useful sleeve ironing press capable of completely machine ironing, that is, the pressure-ironing or finishing the entire area of garment sleeves. My new ironing press with relative movable pressing jaws is employed for quantity production of sleeve-ironing in commercial laundries.

In general, this invention improves the quality of the ironed work, by reason of straight direct jaw pressure which imparts a smooth firm finish, increases the ironing uniformity, and reduces the cost thereof. These advantages arise from the invention by reason of not only eliminating the conventional practice of rough-drying the sleeves but also eliminating all manual labor now involved in hand-ironing certain areas and portions of the sleeves not reached either by the rough-drying method or the partial or semi-machine pressure-ironing method now in use. The hand-ironing, with its resulting lightpressure frictional finish, is eliminated by this invention.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide the trade with means for completely machine pressure-finishing all garment sleeves on laundry-ironing presses, whereby the sleeve in its entirety (armhole seam, sleeve length and seams, gusset, and cufi) is completely machinepressure ironed, thus eliminating all hand work; and the sleeves come off the presses with a firm smooth finish of uniform quality prevailing throughout the succession of shirts making up a volume of work.

Another object of the invention, in so far as concerns the sleeve ironing press herein, is to provide the trade with a press intended for sleeve work only and which completely machine pressure-irons the entire sleeve length and its seams from the top or inside edge of the cuff to and including the entire seam circle defining the armhole of the garment (thus omitting the cuff which is ironed on a separate press), thereby rendering unnecessary any hand-ironing or touching-up around the scams or gusset; and the sleeve is completely pressure-ironed without removing it from the press.

A further object is to produce a sleeveironing press having a new form of heated pressing jaws, that is, a ress with new head and buck shapes and with a new length relationship, the lower buck itself being of minimum length. Consequently, the sleeve can be drawn on to the buck without sticking thereto and so laid that the cuff is not pressed when the ironing head is closed, but the tubular sleeve length with its gusset and armhole seam are ironed by the compression of the polished metallic surface of the hot ironing head coacting against the damp sleeve on the padded ironing buck.

It is also an object to produce a sleeve-ironing press having an entirely new mounting means or frame support for the heated lower padded buck which not only poises and holds the full length of a long tapered free-end sleeve buck above the table and frame, so the sleeve can be drawn quickly into ironing position, but will also rigidly sustain the long buck against downward deflection which otherwise would result from the great ironing pressure imparted thereto by themovable ironing head of the press.

A further object is to produce a new combination in a lower sleeve-ironing buck with a support therefor of such form that the buck is of minimum length, and its entire useful ironing area overhangs or projects from said support, This is accomplished by a new support so constructed andarranged that it is not neces: sary to lose any buck length and heated iron-v ing area by resting thebuck directly on top of the support. In other words, we do not join the support to the buck underneath the latter as in conventional presses used generally for other types of work, there being no satisfactory sleeve 1 press on the market prior to this invention, so

far as is known.

Also, an object is to so form and construct a new support for a heated lower sleeve buck that the dampened non-sleeve portions of the shirt (say the shoulder) will undergo a minimum of drying while the sleeves are being pressureironed; and this is accomplished by producing a buck support which not only has minimum I contact with the shoulder portion of the shirt at rest on said support during the sleeve ironing operation but also remains cooler than previous buck supports and thus has less drying effect on the damp work portions not ironed on thissleeve it is now found that the conventional type of pedestal or support (sometimes called a goose neck) of hollow formation usually housing the steam piping therein leading to and. from the steam-heated buck, becomes very hot and dries out the damp work thus greatly impairing subsequent machine pressure-ironability of the other portions of the shirt; and thus it is a purpose of this invention to eliminate that old form of pedestal buck support used on other types of laundry presses and not use the conventional goose neck at all in this new sleeve press. Consequently, this new sleeve-ironing press does not impair the machine-ironability of the other shirt portions adapted to be pressure-ironed on other presses immediately after the sleeve ironing operation, as a result of which this sleeve press lends itself to the shirt ironing operation as a whole.

With the foregoing and other objects in 'view, the invention has relation to the principles disclosed herein, asportrayedbyan example of this new sleeve press construction and ironing method as now described .and shown in the attached drawings, wherein:

Figures 1 .and 2 show the invention in .its simplest form without the two sleeve holding and smoothing devices .(workholders), while the .remaining views show .theworkholding mean and other features.

:Figure .1 is a front view of the sleeve-ironing press in open position, that is, with its ironing head in up position.

Figure .2 is a right sideelevationof the press in open position .and looking .at the wide end (armhole seam .end.) of the open pressing jaws. Anedge view of the.newbucksupportis shown.

Figure .3 .is .a cross-section made on the vline 3.3 .of Figure .1, showing the internal structureof the buck, and enlarged to twice the size.

Figure 4 is .a detail fragmentary viewof the buck and its support, made in this instance in two separate parts, and adapted to be rigidly united by a fitted andlwelded joint. These two members are shownspaced apart, just before their permanent .joinder, for .clarity to .better illustrate how this .feature of the invention .is

carriedintopract'ice.

.Figurefiis a front view of .the press .inolosed position with a shirtsleeve dressed .upon the buck and undergoing the machine pressure-ironing operation, the shirt collar and shoulder resting on .the vnew buck-supporting .means .at' the left which occupies .a minimum space .and hence touches a minimum area of the .damp un-ironed tionary buck without dragging or sticking thereto, when the operator is making the lay of the work.

Figure 7 is a left side elevation of the press in closed position, without the shirt sleeve, and showing the actuating means for the cuff clamp.

Figures 8 and 9 show, respectively, front and left side elevations of the press in open position, with the two workholders ready to aid the operator in making one pulling lay and usually two rotative orradial lays of the sleeve to be pressure-ironed.

Figures 10, ll, 12 and 13 show the new subcombination or assembly of the buck with its steam 'heatingchamber and the support therefor, these views being to larger scale for clarity, and in part broken away to show the inside construction.

Figure 10 is a rear view of the buck with its support; and Figure 11 is an elevation of the small end of the buck.

Figure 12 is a plan view; and Figure 13 is a cross-section on the lines Iii-l3 of Figures 10 and 12.

Figures 14 and 15 show a modified formof the new sub-combination in a buck and its support.

Among other things, this invention comprises newly shaped and mounted pressing jaws, for sleeve work only, of a new length relationship which machine pressure-irons a sleeve from the inside edge (top edge) of the cuff all the way through the sleeve length to a point just beyond the armhole seam at the shoulder of a skirt or similar apparel. This newly shaped buck is of reduced vor minimum cross sectional size, and its design and shape prevent a .shirt sleeve from sticking thereto as the operator rapidly makes the lay of the sleeve on the buck. In illustrating the invention, the new thin tapering shape and differehtiahlength pressing jaws (head and buck) are'shown on the simplest type of press frame and actuating means for the movable ironing head.

This sleeve pressing machine may be built with pedal-actuating means to close the machine and apply ironing pressure, but motor operation is preferred. The latter develops greater power and makes for a more uniform ironing pressure. The result is a higher quality finish which is uniform throughout all the work. The invention is illusshoulder portions of the skirt, so iasto-allow the shoulder to retain its original moisture for subsequent pressure-ironing operations. The two workholders one a .cufi clamp, the-other .a radial tauting chainmeans) are shown on the press.

Figure 6 may be regarded, in effect,as.a crosssection on the 1ine.6-,B -of Figure 5, except that Figure 6 more particularly .s'hows the .sleeve cuff inverted, that is, rotated one-hundred and eighty degrees, thus positioning the open edges of the cuff and gusset on the ironing surface .of the buck which are thusly made readyto iron. This view shows one of the important uses of .the cuff clamp, when it is employed 'byithe operator to grip the open cufi edges until the press closes. This view also shows the semi-circular shape of the .smal1 thin buck so constructed that vaconsiderable space exists under the buck between it and the sleeve and cuff laid thereon, so that the sleeve moves easily in relation to the statrated in connection with a scissors-type ironing press, so called because of the up and down arcuate movement of its upper ironing head pivoted on a horizontal axis in the rear of, proximate to, and parallel with the pressure plane and longitudinal axis of the coacting head and buck. The press is also a full-automatic type, since the ironing head is power operated throughout its entire closing stroke.

In the drawings, a frame I of any suitable form is shown by way of an example, and it is usually partially closed to house the actuating parts or mechanism. The usual form of table 2 is supported on the frame under the ,coacting pressing jaws later described. The frame I extends upwardly in the rear where it terminates in a pair of parallel horns in the form of spaced upright frame bracket 3, between which a head lever 4 is operatively carried on a frame pivot 5 comprising a horizontal axis or shaft mounted in said bracket means.

The front end of the pivoted head-carrying arm or. lever 4 carries a heated ironing or pressing head H adapted to coact with a stationary lower padded buck B which also usually is heated. The head and buck are sometimes called pressing jaws or pressing elements, and their special form for sleeve ironing is later explained. The rear end of the head lever 4 may extend rearwardly and curve downwardly for operative connection with the actuating means to open and close the press.

' An exemplary form of actuating mechanism is shown (for the purpose of illustrating the invention) operatively connected with the head lever 4. The actuating motor means may comprise a cylinder 1 usually installed within the frame. One end of the motor-means cylinder is pivotally carried on a horizontal axis or framepivot 8. A piston 9 is adapted to be reciprocated on its power out-stroke by motive fluid (usually air pressure) to close the press, and a piston rod I is pivotally connected at I l with the lower end of the head arm 4.

Counterbalancing means in the form of a long coil tension spring l2 has its free end attached at l3 to the rear end of the head lever and its other end extends forwardly within the frame and is anchored thereto at M. The spring means I2 not only counterbalances the head arm 4 and the weight of the ironing head H carried on the forward end thereof but opens the press by lifting the head. Thus it is noted that the pneumatic motor means 1 functions to swing the forward end of the head arm 4 downwardly until the motor stalls under power when the head H engages the buck B. This tensions (loads) the spring I2 which subsequently reacts to reverse the motor means and open the press when the air pressure is vented from the cylinder 1 by conventional control means employed for the purpose.

It is usual to employ two-hand control on laundry presses, and this is shown at I6 as buttons or manuals which the operator depresses to energize the motor means I (admit air pressure thereto) for closing the press. Also one or two release or press-opening manuals I! are provided for operator control in opening the press, or an automatic press timer opens the machine. The operator actuates the release trigger or manual I! after the ironing operation i completed, thereby de-energizing the motor means (by exhausting the air therefrom) and causing the press to be opened by the tension of the counterbalancing spring I-2. as to the foregoing actuating means I, I2 and the control means I6, I! for the motor, that any suitable mechanism may be employed.

The ironing head H is attached to the front end of the press lever 4 and coacts with a lower padded buck B, the two pressing jaws being disposed horizontally and parallel with the front edge of the table '2 and above said table. The long sleeve buck B is specially mounted or supported on the frame I of the press in a new way so as to afford certain advantages in the ironing operation, as later explained. Incidentally, Figures l4 and 15 show a modified form of our new buck support to be later explained. The other views show the form thereof we have thus far more generally used.

The stationary buck B is substantially semicircular in contour throughout the length of its f the concave ironing surface of the head is pol- It will be understood,

ished or plated to impart a firm and smooth finish to the ironed work. The coacting concave and convex ironing surfaces have a radial ironing area which takes in about one-third or more of a sleeve. The thin tubular buck B is much smaller in cross-sectional area at any given point than the sleeve. Consequently, th sleeve is free on the buck, a condition which must exist, else machine pressure-ironing of sleeves cannot be carried out on a production scale.

The inner or left end 19 of the buck B is its widest portion and conforms to the wide end 20 of the head. The buck B tapers from its supported wide end l9 towards its narrow free end 2| and the latter also conforms with the narrow end 22 of the head. The buck has no waste space, that is, the useful ironing area thereof extends from its wide pressing end I 9 to its narrow pressing end 2|. Note also that the buck is comparatively thin, that is, it is made shallow in depth (vertically) from end to end as shown, and

this makes for the easy and rapid dressing or pulling of a sleeve thereupon.

Of importance is the fact that the long slender sleeve-like buck B has a cufi rest or non-pressing extension 23 on the outer small pressing end 2|. This cuif rest 23 has a length about equal to the width of the cuff on a shirt. Thus the lower ironing buck B is longer at its free end than the upper ironing head H by an amount substantially equal to the width of a standard shirt cuff. Th cuff rest 23 may as well be an integral extension of the buck as shown, although it can be made as a separate lightweight part and then attached to the buck end 2|. Among other things, this small cuff rest 23 serves the good purpose of guiding or piloting a sleeve on to the buck.

The rest 23 also supports the cuff of the sleeve and permits the operator to hold the cuff against the rest while she draws the sleeve taut and smooths it on the buck from end to end. The cuff support or rest also acts as a gage for the operator to stop the sleeve at the right place on the buck, which is to say that she draws or pulls the sleeve (and sleeve lengths vary) until the outer edge of the cuff is even with the tip end of the cuff rest 23. This means that the cuff is properly outside of the pressing area of the head H and will not be ironed when the press closes.

It is noted that the buck B is mounted on the frame I by a thin flat generally exponentially curved and outwardly flared upright support S which at its top joins the end of the long buck at the middle thereof to poise and anchor it in fixed parallel relation to the movable head H. The upper end of the support S joins one end of the buck (preferably the left end) by a fitted and welded seat or joint, welded in several places as at 18; or these two members may be integrally formed, as later explained in connection with Figure 14. Welding the two members is in effect an integral construction; however, it is apparent that they may be joined or anchored in any suitable manner.

The left end of the buck B is mounted on the truss bracket or support S which extends downwardly through the tab-1e. This support has a vertical edge 25 placed against or near the vertical left side of the press frame I. It is noted that the edge 25 is well under the buck B and more particularly under the table 2 somewhat to the right of the wide left end I9 of the buck. This bracket S is anchored to the side of the frame, in any suitable way, as by spaced bolts 26 set far apart vertically :so as to gaina holding advantage, .by way of an anchoring leverage, onthe frame I to rigidly mount the outer free righthand end 21 of the buck against deflection when the head H closes with great force thereon.

The inside edge of the support S, above the table 2, is arched or curved deeply to the left, as indicated at 21. This curveZl extends to a'depth substantially tangent with the verticalplane of the extreme left wide end IQ of the buck. Thus the entire length of the buck Bis held outwardly and laterally from the frame bracket or support S so that little or no part of that-portion of the member S above the table is under the buck to interfere with drawing (sleeving) the sleeve thereupon.

The foregoing arrangement means that a sleeve buck of minimum length can be used because the support S is not placed in the form of a pedestal in underneath contact with the buck to take up or waste apart of its useful ironing length. Consequently our new bu'ck need be no longer than the sleeve to be ironed. This is due to the fact that we do not employ a part of the buck length as its support on the press frame I,

asin prior buck supports (goose necks) on other types of laundry presses for work other than sleeves where the problem of mounting the buck is a somewhat different one.

The deep curve 21 in the buck supporting member S permits the armhole and the seam of a sleeve to be drawn or sleeved all the way on to the minimum length buck and up to this armhole curve or cut-out 27 so that said sleeve armhole will rest upon the wide end I?! under the end of the head and will be ironed by the latter. Note also that the buck support S has an outside curved margin 28 leading from the vertical end edge, or leading from the welded seat I8, of the buck B downwardly to the 1ower end of said support. This supporting bracket, therefore, has an outside curved margin 28 and inside armhole curve 21 which define the body and breadth thereof from the joint l8 and tapering downwardly to the smaller lower end portion anchored on the side of the frame I under the table 2.

It will be seen that the buck support S is a solid narrow, that is, a thin bracket anchored vertically to the side of the steel frame I, it

reaches upwardly through the table, and it presents a rigid truss-like structure to mount the buck B above the table 2 parallel to the head H. The buck support S thus presents a very rigid mounting means for the buck B, withstands the considerable load or pressure imposed thereupon by the ironing head 20, and holds the buck (including the outer free end 2| thereof) in ironing position against downward deflection. Such an arrangement means uniform ironing pressure from end to end of the buck.

The buck support S is thin in section but deep vertically and is wide longitudinally in the lengthwise axis of the buck B, while the buck is shallow or thin vertically but Wide horizontally at I9 where it joins the support by an integral or welded union therewith. These characteristics make for rigidity of the buck and accommodate the integral joinder (welded or solid formation) of the two parts B and S in a single unit structure to form a new sub-combination. In Figure 4, the two parts are shown in the process of being fitted together by a slotted joint before welding. The right-angular fitted corner or seat, defined along the Welding lines I8, forms an interlocked joint which is braced angularly when either welded to form an integral structure or initially cast inone integral piece. Thesupport S,therefore, is anchored not only to the underneath end but to the vertical end edge of the buck in a way which leaves the entire underside of the buck free of any obstruction to pulling on the sleeve.

It will be seen that a vertical rib 38 (sheets 1 and 4) divides the inside of thegbuck into two lengthwise steam heating passage chambers, say an inlet passage 31 and an outlet passage 32. This longitudina1 rib 3B is disposed centrally in the buck and not only distributes the steam throughout the length thereof as later explained, but of great importance is the fact that it also acts as a reinforcing truss or stiffening member, in combination with the support S, to bracevthe long thin and slender buck against downward deflection when the pressure of the ironing head is exerted thereon.

The dividing-truss rib or partitionSSEI (Figure 3) unites thebottom flat wall 33 with the upper convex wall 34 and extends from the extreme left wide end I9 to the narrow end 2 I, with the result that the small tapered hollow buck presents a structure of bridge-like rigidity. The convex wall 34 alone affords great resistance against vertical give, but when united with the truss rib 30, and thus tied into the center of the bottom wall 33 and along the margins of the latter, there is presented a rigid buck of a character which is absolutely stable (even at its free end 2|) against the downward pressure of the ironing head.

It will now be seen that the upper small end of the buck support S is fitted and united (by welding or otherwise) centrally on to the wide slotted end 19 of the buck in central alignment with the trussing rib 30 (Figures 1, 3, 4, 10 and 12) concealed within the buck B as a part of the structure of the latter. When these two members S and B are made separately, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, (and one manufacturing practice makes this expedient) it is readily seen that the two parts in effect constitute one continuous member, by welding them at [8. In effect, therefore, the supporting means, for mounting the buck B on the machine frame I, may be said to be one integral member set Vertically edgewise to present maximum vertical resistance against downward deflection, and it extends from the lower tip of the support S all the way through the buck to the outer tip end 35 of the stiffening rib 33. Such a buck support is new and advantageous in several respects.

The outer tip end 35 of the steam-chamber trussing rib 30 is shown to stop short of the end wall 31 of the buck B. This arrangement leaves a steam passage 38 (Figures 10 and 12) at the outer pressing end 2| of the buck. Consequently, the steam for heating the buck traverses the full length thereof by flowing outwardly along the front chamber 3|, then through the end passage 38 into the return rear passage 32, and thence through the latter passage back to the inner or wide end IQ of the buck.

The end wall 31 in the buck B stops the steamheating chamber 3!, 32 at the narrow pressing end 2!, and the extension skirt 39 projecting therefrom forms the cuff rest 23' open at its outer end. This structural arrangement purposely minimizes the heating of the cuff rest 23, located beyond the steam chamber, inasmuch as it is not part of the heated ironing area of the buck. Consequently, the cuff rest has van air ventilating space between the radiating skirts 39.

An inlet steam supply pipe 41 connects with the steam passage 3| at the bottom of the wide end IQ of the buck B, and an outlet or return steam pipe 42 similarly connects with the return steam passage 32 leading back to a steam boiler in a known way. Steam for heating the lower buck is circulated from end to end, by reason of the trussing rib 3|), as a result of which the temperature is uniform throughout the pressing area of the buck, from its wide ironing end I!) to its narrow ironing end 2|. Thus the ironed work comes off of the machine with a uniform quality finish.

Note also, the importance of the location of the steam pipes 4| and 42, both of which are beyond and to the left of the deep armhole curve or cutout 21 of the buck support S. The steam piping, therefore, does not limit the distance or the depth of movement when pulling a long sleeve all the way up to the wide end IQ of the buck. The two steam pipes 4| and 42 hug the thin support S, although separated therefrom, are not in the way of the shirt sleeve, and do not rest in contact with the damp armhole of the sleeve to dry the moisture therefrom.

A hood or cover 44 (sheet 4) may be mounted over the upper part of the buck support S above the table 2 for covering the steam pipes 4| and 42 and finish the appearance of this part of the machine and for other purposes. It is preferred to cover the steam pipes, that is, the parts thereof above the table 2, so as to prevent the operators hands from coming in contact therewith when she is handling and making the lay of the sleeve on the buck B.

The type of buck support shown herein for steam-heated sleeve bucks, and constituting one of the features of this invention, does not become excessively hot. Its temperature runs much lower than that of a conventional buck support, ordinarily used on laundry presses for other work, which engages the underneath surface of the buck. An underneath conventional type of buck support absorbs the heat directly from the steam chamber thereabove, whereas this new offend buck support projects or overhangs from the end of the buck and is more remote from the steam chamber 3|, 32 than if the support extended along and in underneath engagement with the hot buck. Furthermore, the wide area of the support promotes rapid radiation of th heat which aids in cooling it.

Important advantages result in sleeve and shirt ironing by providing this form of buck support S. Its thin body not only engages a minimum area or part of the shirt collar and shoulder, but being of lower temperature than previous forms of buck supports, there results the double advantage of less drying out of the shoulder of the shirt while the sleeves are being ironed. The hood 44 aids generally in minimizing the drying out of the shoulder of the shirt lying over the buck support S, as a closer consideration will more fully reveal.

In connection with the foregoing, the bottom of the hood may have a lower air inlet 46 through the table 2 and an upper air outlet 41. The hood 44 conforms in outline to the shape of that part of the support S which is above the table 2. An air space or clearance exists between the hood and the support, this being required to accommodate the steam piping 4|, 42 extending upwardly between each vertical wall of the hood and the fiat surface of the solid support S. The airinside the hood becomes warm by reason of the hot steam pipes and flows upwardly and escapes through the vent 41. This draws cool'air into the hood through the lower air intake 45 and promotes an upward circulation of air.

Accordingly, an upward draft of cool air is induced through the hood 44, and this natural updraft ventilation tends further to the keeping of the buck support S and its hood at a minimum temperature. This ventilation of the buck support and steam piping 4|, 42 reduces to a minimum the drying eifect on the damp shoulder of the shirt which rests on the buck support while the sleeves of a shirt are being ironed. The original moisture in the shoulder is retained and there is no need of further dampening. In this way, the sleeve press aids the next step in ma-,

chine ironing the shirt. Usually, the shoulder of the shirt is pressure-ironed on another machine adjacent this sleeve press.

It will now be appreciated that this new form of buck support S, with its hood 44, lends itself to a cooling operation by simple ventilation, a feature of this invention'made possible by the off-end or overhanging support S which is not located under the buck. An underneath type of buck support, one which joins the under ironing surface of the buck, not only absorbs more heat from the buck but cannot so conveniently be provided with the air circulation passages 46 and 41 to promote a natural outlet of heat from the buck support to maintain it at as low temperature as possible.

In the operation of the press, a damp sleeve 50 (Figure 5) is held in the operators hand at its armhole seam 5| and is slipped upon the narrow piloting or guiding end 23 of the buck. The sleeve is drawn all the way to the left up to the inside armhole curve 21 of the :buck support S, or more particularly is drawn on to the buck until the sleeve cuff 52 is on culf rest 23. The wide end I9 of the buck always projects beyond the armhole searm toward the other shirt portions; say into the area of the damp shoulder portion 53 which now rests over the buck support S and its hood 44. The shirt collar 54 also rests loosely to the left and may partly have a small portion in contact with the narrow support S.

The body and front portions 55 of the shirt will fall down and rest on the table 2 but not in contact with the buck support since it is not present and is not in the Way under the buck. The absence of a buck support (the old hollowgoose neck) from the underneath area of the buck is an advantage because the damp shirt body 55 is not in contact with a heated member and consequently there is no tendency to drive the original moisture from the front and bosom portions 55 which are to be ironed after the sleeve finishing operation.

The foregoing positions the armhole seam 5| on the wide end IQ of the buck so that the seam is completely pressure-ironed and flattened by the compression of the heated polished head H against the padded lower buck B, and prepares the shirt for the next machine pressure-ironing operation on other presses. One practice is to iron the shoulder 53 of a shirt on a shoulder press (another machine) immediately after the two sleeves are ironed on this sleeve press, and then the front and back portions 55 are last machine ironed on still another press.

The sleeve 5|] is drawn taut on the buck B with the cuff 52 (usually previously ironedlresting on the buck extension 23 beyond the narrow pressing end 22 of the ironing head; Therefore, the cuff of the sleeve is not ironed; In

most cases, the cuff 52 is first ironed on another machine (cuff press) prior to the shirt reaching this sleeve press, and then the previously ironed cuff rests upon the buck extension 23 without bending and damage to its finish. Furthermore, the cuff rest 23 affords a means of holding the cuff while the sleeve is tensioned or drawn taut on the buck.

It will be noted that the buck B is shallow in depth, so there remains a considerable amount of space between its underneath surface and the depending free portion of the sleeve 56. Thus the cross-sectional area of the buck is considerably smaller than that of the sleeve, and this enables the sleeve to be quickly drawn upon the buck and removed therefrom without sticking to the buck and interfering with the rapid laying operations.

This sleeve machine-ironing operation may comprise three closing movements of the head E. First, the press is closed as indicated in Figure 5 to pressure-iron the first lay of about one-third of the sleeve 50, whereupon the press is opened. The operator then rotatably shifts the sleeve on the buck another portion, say one-third way around and again closes the head. The press is opened a second time and the operator repeats the rotating lay of the sleeve and closes the head for final ironing operation.

The sleeve is now removed and is completely machine pressure-ironed from and including the armhole seam down to the cuff. Since the cuff 52 is machine pressure-ironed on'a separate cuff press, either before or after the tubular sleeve portion is ironed, it follows that the entire sleeve The modified form shown in Figures 14 and 15 This example of an alternate form of construction is presented not only to show an off-end buck support 6| which has a deeper armhole curve 62 than at 2'! as heretofore described, but also to show a means for mounting the buck support on top of a press frame instead of on the side thereof. It is seen that the depth of the armhole cut-out 62 extends substantially to the left of the vertical end edge 63 of the buck 6B. In this way, the entire length of the buck projects outwardly and overhangs from the support 6!.

The foregoing may afford even greater facility, than heretofore described, in drawing and shifting a long sleeve upon the buck, so as to bring the armhole seam 51* (Figure all the way to the extreme wide left end of the buck 60 and still have ample clearance between the sleeve and the inside edge 62 of the sup-port. This ample clearance facilitates the making of the sleeve lays, particularly the rotative or radially shifted lays to be made as each one-third of the sleeve is successively pressure-ironed by this machine.

Furthermore, Figures 14 and 15 show the new sub-combination in a buck with its mounting means of such form that the structure may be mounted and rested directly on top of a press frame 64. The armhole curve 62 merges with the upper surface of an integral horizontal flange 65 resting directly on the top edge of the press frame 64, while the outer margin of the broad thin support 6| continues integrally downwardly under the flange 65 to form a vertical trussing or V from end to end of the latter. The vertical stiffening rib, 66 may rest in aligned notches 61 formed in the top of the frame 64- so as to allow the horizontal flange 65 to rest upon and :be bolted or otherwise anchored in position directly on the top edge of the press frame 64. The horizontal flange 65 provides lateral stability, while the'vertical portions 6! and 66 provide a trussed rigidity, of the supported buck The upper end of the support El is also shown (Figure 14) integrally formed with an internal.

longitudinal stiffening and steam-chamber dividing rib 68. This rib 68 is vertically disposed, it extends from end to end of the buck 6B, and forms therein the two steam chamber passages SI and 32 the same as shown in Figures 3, 12, and 13. Consequently, this buck rib 68 serves the several purposes as heretofore explained for the rib 36 in the other views.

While we have usually joined the support S with the buck B by slotting the latter in the middle at its end and by welding at l8, nevertheless here (Figures 14 and 15) is disclosed another structural method by which the vertical supporting portions 6| and 68 are integrally formed. In some instances, this manufacturing practice may be preferred for producing this unusually firm and rigid buck, wherein the support 6 l, 68, therefor extendsall the way therethrough to reinforce said buck, and for making the support a part of the buck and its steam chamber.

In producing the sub-combination shown in Figure 14, the upper curved wall 69, forming the oval or convex pressing surface of the buck, and the lower flat wall ill, can be fabricated of sheet steel, if desired, around the trussing rib 68 and welded thereto to form the steam-heating chamber around the vertical reinforcing rib 68. It is obvious that the outer free end of a sleeve buck is susceptible to deflection under the great force of the ironing head, but' the problem is met by using the several examples of construction herein disclosed.

The workholders Two workholders are preferably used in combination with this sleeve press and ironing method to facilitate making the lays of the sleeve on the buck. A cuff clamp H. swings up and down in close relation to the right-hand end of the ironing head H and coacts with the cuff rest' 23 thus providing a cuff holder; and an underneath longitudinal sleeve-weighting device here illustrated as a chain means 12 is mounted under the buck from end to end thereof.

Both workholders are preferably used, although each alone possesses certain utility. The construction and mode of 1 operation of these two workholders are simple and aid in speeding the operators Work, since they act in combination to facilitate removing the wrinkles from the tubular portion of the sleeve, as will now be explained.

In this connection, a ball chain l2 (Figures 5, '7, 8 and 9) has its outer end attached at 13 to the outer free end of the buck, and its inner end is attached at M to the inside armhole curve of the buck supports S or 6|. A link chain- 15 (Figure 14) has been used with very good results and maybe preferred over the ball chain or other equivalent means. A plated chain will serve the purpose, although other forms of construction may be used. Any device will also be useful which comprises apliableand flexible lengthwise member or means, which hangs slack under the buck and which has a series of independently movable members, either in connected lengthwise alignment or otherwise arranged in lengthwise alignment, and acting downwardly by gravity or other force. The chain device is plated so the sleeve slips, shifts, and rotates easily in relation thereto.

The chain means 12 or E is shown to be approximately the length of the pressing jaws, that is, substantially the length of a shirt sleeve. However, the length of the chain may vary and give good results. supported at its ends by the buck B and the support S as shown, but it will be seen that the chain or its equivalent means may be arranged and supported by other means in operative position under the buck. The ends of the chain means may also be supported near or proximate the ends of the buck, but in the illustrated example of the invention the chain ends are supported at the buck ends. An important feature is that this flexible lengthwise means 72 and i5 has free motion, up and down, also back .its function of piloting the sleeve on to the buck when the operator first starts pulling said sleeve thereon. The inner end of the chain is shown attached at l lsomewhat below the buck B at a point lower than the cuff rest 23. This arrangement places the chain means further down from the wide end IQ of the buck than at the cuff end 23, and causes the slack chain F2 or to slant or tend downwardly from the cuff end toward the armhole end. When mounted in this manner, the links and weight of the chain tends toward and gathers at the armhole 5| of the shirt sleeve 53 and thereby additionally weights the large end of the sleeve to taut and smooth same on the buck,

As the sleeve 50 is drawn over the smooth guiding end 23 of the buck, the sleeve begins to pick up and lift the chain links or balls 12 or 75, thus gathering more chain weight as the sleeve slides on to the buck. The weight of the chain bears down on the inside of the sleeve, thus tauting it radially as the sleeve is drawn to the left in final position, as shown in Figure 5. The weight of this chain workholder takes up the slack in the sleeve and draws out the wrinkles. The chain-like device also maintains clearance between the sleeve and underneath the buck to facilitate shifting the sleeve.

The sleeve is pulled easily all the way on to the buck and the smooth chain links offer no noticeable resistance thereto. The slack chain means 72 or 15, previously hanging downwardly in an arc, is now lifted within the sleeve, thereby' straightening the chain body. Thus, the loose chain becomes slightly shorter, than when hanging in an arc, and a few links are loose and free to accumulate at the armhole end 5| of the sleeve. It follows, therefore, that several of the chain links or balls (see Figure 5) may pour or fall down through the armhole seam 51. In any event, this chain portion accumulated at the armhole seam end 5| additionally weights the The chain is also preferably sleeve and pulls downwardly thereon at the armlength.

Accordingly, the chain being lower at its inner end 14 aids in weighting and pulling downwardly on the large end of the sleeve. This is an advantage due to the fact that a maximum of sleeve area is in contact with the wide end I9 of the buck, and the heavier end of the chain aids in smoothing out the wrinkles. This particular arrangement of the weighted workholder, with its lower end 74, makes the combined buck and chain fit the sleeve regardless of the size and taper of the latter. The gravity action of the chain means, throughout the tubular portion of the sleeve,

makes the individual links catch all variation in sleeve size and bear equally and uniformly downward on the sleeve throughout its length. The chain weight means also aids the operator in making the rotative lays of the sleeve on the buck because the chain holds the underneath sleeve portion away from the lower wall of the buck and acts as a guide in the nature of a frictionless turn, or it even acts as a roller when the ball chain 12 is used, around which the tubular sleeve is radially shifted. The rounding surface of the chain balls and links permits the inner sleeve surface to easily turn or roll thereon when the operator is making the two successive rotative lays in pressure-ironing the sleeve.

The movable clamping action of the cuff holder 23, ll will now be explained. Any suitable actuating means may be employed for raising and lowering the cuff clamp l! in relation to the cuff rest 23. The type of link-and-lever actuating means here shown has been used to good advantage, and it is controlled by the foot of the operator for closing the cuff holder.

A clamp lever 16 is pivoted on the axis 5 of the press and carries the cuff clamp H on its forward end. The cuif clamp H is V-shaped or convex to grip the sleeve cuff 52 and swings free although close to the small end 22 of the iron ing head H. A lever Tl is pivoted at 18 on the frame I. The two levers l6 and T! are disposed horizontally, when holding the clamp H closed, and their rear ends are operatively connected by a swinging link 19. s

A pedal is pivoted at 8| on the frame with its foot piece accessible at the front of the press to the toe of the operator. This pedal is operatively connected through a link 82 with the forward end of the lever H. A spring 83 has its upper end attached to the frame and its lower end connected with the pedal 82 to urge upwardly on the pedal. The spring 83, therefore, normally swings the two levers l6 and H in a clockwise direction to raise the cuff clamp 'H high above the cuff rest 23 and out of the way of the operator, as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

In practice, the operator quickly slips a damp sleeve 50 on to the buck and chain means, the small buck end 23 serving to open and guide the damp sleeve, thereby making the initial or pulling-on lay, as distinguished from the two succeeding lays which are rotative or radial lays. When the cuff 52 is in position on the cuff rest 23, she then steps on the pedal 80 to swing the clamp ll down upon the cuff 52 (Figure 5) to grip the latter. Now she has both hands free. While holding her toe on the pedal 80 to grip the cuff 52, she brushes and smooths the sleeve to the left, removing its wrinkles, doing so with one or both hands against the gripping action of the cuff holder 23, 1|.

hole seam 5|, as well as along the entire sleeve It is seen that the cuff clamp H holds the upper part of the sleeve in fixed position, and the chain weight 12 or T pulls out the underneath slack portion from the sleeve and renders it straight and radially or laterally taut. It follows, therefore, that one or two strokes of the right hand of the operator along the sleeve area on the buck, While she pulls lightly on the armhole seam 5| with her left hand, quickly makes the first lay of the sleeve ready for the first closing of the ironing head H.

Th operator now presses-the control buttons 16 to close the press and at the same time releases the pedal 83. She is now free for the moment while the sleeve is undergoing its first onethird pressure-ironing operation. When this first part of the sleeve is ironed dry, the operator proceeds with the next two rotative lays of the same sleeve until it is fully ironed all around, as previously explained. Then she draws the sleeve to the right and oif of the buck, and the chain means assumes its original. down curved position ready to receive the next sleeve.

The cuff clamp H is not necessarily closed down upon the cuff 52 for each of the two radial shifting or rotating lays of the sleeve. However,

the cuff clamp is ordinarily used in making the initial straight-pulling-on lay when the open edges 52- of the cuff (the button-hole sides thereof) assume an up position, as in Figured Here, the clamp H is used to hold the two cuff and gusset seams 52 together, to prevent their falling apart, until the head is closed.

Thus the cuff holder has especial utility in making the initial lay of the sleeve, as well as holding the two open'cuif edges 52 together. It depends upon the speed and lay technique ofthe operator, as to which of the three lays may fall or include the open gusset and cuff edges 52 Another feature of importance is the fact that the chain workholder 12 or 15, in its cooperative action with the cuff holder 23, H, perfects the sleeve wrinkle-removing operation during the initial pull-on lay of the sleeve, so that duringthe two succeeding rotative lays there are no wrinkles to speak of for the operator to brush and smooth out.

This invention is presented to fill a need for improvements in a sleeve ironing press. It is understood that various modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation, assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled in the art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of an invention. Hence, it will'be understood that this disclosure is illustrative of preferred means of embodying the invention in useful form by explaining the construction, operation and advantages thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A sleeve press comprising, in combination, a frame, a buck, and a head pivoted on the frame and adapted to swing up and down in relation to the buck, the buck being tapered to receive a sleeve thereon and longer than the head by approximately a cuff length, which adapts a sleeve to be drawn on to the buck with the cuff of the sleeve at rest on the buck beyond the ironing area of the head, a clamp pivoted'on the frame and arranged to swing alongside and in close relation to the pivoted head to grip the cuff in its non-ironing position, and means under the control of the operator to swing the clamp up and down in relation to the buck.

2. In a sleeve ironing press, a supporting frame, a table horizontally disposed on said frame, a relatively thin web-like buck support disposed in a vertical plane and projecting upwardly through said table normal to the surface and adjacent one end thereof, said support having an edge extending along said frame below the table, means anchoring said edge of the support to the frame, and a buck secured to the upper end of said support and overlying the table in spaced relationship thereto, the inner edge of said support between the table and buck being curved inwardly of the support to accommodate the arm-pit portion of a garment the sleeve of which is telescoped over the buck and the outer edge of said support between the table and buck being curved outwardly of the support in a direction endwise of the buck and having its outer edge extending in a direction tangential to the surface of the buck, to accommodate the shoulder portions of the garment.

3. In a sleeve ironing press, a supporting frame, a table horizontally disposed on said frame, a relatively thin web-like buck support extending upwardly from said table adjacent an edge thereof and normal to the table, said support being generally outwardly curved in a direction endwise of the buck and having a wide base portion emerging from the table and an 'inwardly directed narrow top portion, a horizontal reinforcing rib integrally formed on the upper end of the support and overlying the table, and a hollow buck telescopically received on said supporting rib and having a top wall welded to the upper edge of the rib and a bottom wall secured to the lower edge of the rib whereby the rib forms a dividing partition dividing the buck interiorly into two compartments.

4. In combination, an ironing buck support including a substantially flat horizontal supporting flange, a relatively thin generally outwardly curved Web extending upwardly from said flange at one end thereof and bowed outwardly and having its outer edge extendingin an arcuate line tangential to the surface of the buck, a horizontal rib extending laterally from the upper end of the Web and overlying said flange, and a'hollow buck having a curved upper wall secured to the upper edge of the rib and a lower wall secured to the lower edge of the rib and into which the rib extends, said rib serving to divide the buck interiorly into two compartments.

5. In an ironing press, a supporting frame, a table horizontally disposed on said frame, a relatively thin web-like buck-support disposed in a vertical plane and projecting upwardly from a point below said table to a point above the table adjacent one edge thereof, said support having one edge extending alongthe frame belowsaid table,,means anchoring said edged the support to the frame, and a vertically disposed longitudinal partition dividing the buck into'two adjacent compartments, one end of said partition being secured-to the upper end of said bucksupport in edge-to-edge relationship.

FLOYD A. WIEGMAN. GEORGE R. YOUNG. 

